Electrical regulator



Aug. 18, 1925.

E. R. STOEKLE ELECTRICAL REGULATOR '2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 22, 1920 INVENTOR Ema/n, mam

Y Y WM N ATTORNEY Aug. 18, 1925 i I 1,550,590

E. R. STOEKLE ELECTRICAL REGULATOR Filed Nov. 22, 1920 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Fig/.4

Eamim RSwmkLa B W kbtomneq Patente'd Aug. 18, 1925.

UNITED STATES I teases ATEN'E FEQE.

ERWIN R. 'STOEKLE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB TO THE CU'ILERHAM- MER MFG. (30., OF MILWAUKE WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

ELECTRICAL REGULATOR.

Application filed November 22, 1920.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERWIN R. STOEKLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Regulators, of which the following is a. full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to electrical regulators and more particularly to regulators of the vibratory type.

An object of the invention is that of providing an improved and simplified regula tor of such character.

Another object is that of providing such a regulator comprising regulative elements and electro-responsive control means therefor, and wherein provision is made for rendering operation of said control means independent of influence by the former elements, to thereby permit relatively light and sensitive construction and organization of said elecitro-responsive means while enabling construct-ion of the regulating elements of such strength and ruggedness as the operative conditions thereof require.

Another object is that of providing a vibratory regulator wherein the permissable amplitude and power of vibration is increased with consequent increase 'in positiveness and reliability of operation of the device.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

According to the present invention it is proposed to provide a relay having contacts certain of which may vibrate continuously and at a fixed rate, said contacts having circuit connections whereby the same are adapted to effect regulation of a power or other circuit in accordance with the duration of that portion of each successive vibration within which said contacts are in engagement with one another. It is further proposed to provide for varying the duration of such portions of the successive vibrations in accordance with Variations in the electrical condition to be controlled, the arrangement being such as to permit performance of the latter mentioned function unhampered by the operation of said relay.

More particularly it is proposed to proride for periodic relative positioning of the Serial No. 425,711.

cooperating contacts of the relay with reference to one another whereby the duration of engagement thereof for each vibration is increased or decreased in accordance with variations from a given standard of the electrical conditions to be regulated, to thereby provide for counteracting such variations, the positioning means being periodically rendered operatively independent of the relay and each of the aforementioned periodic actions occurring preferably once during each vibration of the relay.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein are illustrated certain of the embodiments which the invention may assume in practice Fig. 1 is a side elevational view thereof as adapted to the regulation of D. C. circuits, a proposed set of circuit connections being illustrated diagrammatically;

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating a modified construction adapted to regulation of A. C. circuits;

F i 3 is a front elevational view of the construction illustrated in Fig. 2; while,

Fig. i is a detail view of a portion of said construction.

Referring to Fig. l of the drawing, the same illustrates a vibratory relay comprising a vibrating contact 9 and a relatively stationary contact 10, the latter, however, being electromagnetically positionable with reference to said former contact in a. manner to be hereinafter described.

In practice said relay preferably comprises a magnetic frame 11 to be secured to a suitable insulating panel 12 and provided with a core 13 surrounded by a coil 14:. An armature member 15 is medially pivotally mounted at a point of said frame, one end of said armature member being arranged to be attracted by the flux induced by said coil. the opposite end of said member being bent outwardly and formed to provide a knife edge 16. An elongated contactor 17, carrying the contact 9 at one end, is mounted upon said armature member by means of a bearing 18 coacting with the knife edge 16 of the laitter. A spring 19 is adjustably tensioned between the frame 11 and the contactor 17 in a. known and obvious manner for maintaining said conitactor in the aforedescribed assembled relation upon the armature member and also for biasing the upper end of the latter away from the core 13. The relatively stationary contact 10 of the relay is carried by a fixed stud 20 in co operative relation to the contact 9.

The lower end of the contactor 17 is bent outwardly to provide a bearing for a further contactlinger 21, the latter being maintained.

to close following de-energization of saidcoil and resultant biased movement of said armature. 'lhus assumingencrgization of said coil from a suitable source of electrical energy suchas the battery illustrated, it is apparent that the aforcdescribed relay is adaptedto ell' ct continuous viln'atory coaction of its-contacts 9 andlO at a ratewhich maybe varied atwill by means. of the various adjustments aforementioned.

Considering now more specifically the structure and operation. of the relatively stationary contact. 10, the same preferably comprises an elongated bolt having an enlarged head portion acting as the contact proper, said. bolt being. telescopically carriedby and; partially within the fixed stud 20, the latter being providedwithav longitudinal bore with which the reduced portion of said bolt is: adapted to make a loose working lit. til-aid studvis lt'iu'thermore interiorly recessed as illustrated and providedwith.

spaced opposedinterior shouldersidli andfZT,

whereas the enclosed.portionof the contact 10. is preferably screw threaded to receive an adjustable nut or. collar 28 the latter be ing adapted to co-operate with the shoulder 27 for. limitingout vard movement of the contact with IGfGlGIlCB to the stud.v A compression sprine 29 is furlheninterposed be tween said nut and ,said shoulderfor biasing saidcontact inwardly with reference to said stud. A, bifurcatedmember 30 is furthercarried'by andin insulated,relation to the upper portion of the armature 17, said mem-.

her being adapted to straddle. the reduced portion of the contactlO and to coact with.

the head of said contact whereby upon out: ward movement of said armature the same is. adapted to draw said contactoutwardly with reference to the stud 20, the springQQ being compressed.

A wedge-shaped member 3lis carried partially within the recessed port-ion ofthe stud 20 and positioned between theshoulder26 o'li' said stud and the inner terminal portion of the contac 10 whereby upon partial withdrawal. oit i said wedgemember the. spr i n 29" ly comprise aimagnetic frame 32 secured, to.

the panel:l2, a.coil 33 having circuit connections rendering the same responsive in accordance with the electrical condition which it is desired to regulate and a reciprocating plunger Sihaving a link 35 connecting the same with an oscillable level: 36 at an intermediate point of the latter, one extremity of said lever being pivotally. connected to the upper end of the wedge member 3 l; The opposite end of said lever- 86 is of cam for-nun tion as shownat 37, and is adapted to coact with an adjacent surface 38 of the frame 82. An adpislablc tension-spring 39serves to maintainsaid lever in. the aforedescribcd.

assembled relation with reference to the frame and also to bias said lever against movementllli response to the force developed, by the solenoid. The cam surface 37 preferablydesignedwith reference to the pull;curve characteristicof said solenoid and the tension.characteristic of the spring 39 tomaintain throughout the working range of saidlever substantially a definite proportionality of the opposing forces acti u g thereon The operation of the afmedescribcd. device; for regulating the electrical condition of a power circuitma-y be describedas follows.

Assume. that it isde'sired to regulate the output voltage of a generator lO provided with a,licldrheostat ell, the solenoid coil 33 being connected across the generator output line's and the contacts 9 and J0 ofthc relay being. adapted whenengaged lo shortvv circuitcthe l'i'eld rheostat,ithe acting coil ll of, the relay being connected across a bat tery 42 as indicated. or optionally. across continuously at a rate detcrm-iiwd by the adjustment thereof and that. during each vibration the contacts 9 and 10 are in engagenrent withone another. for a longer or shorten period determined by the position of the wedge member Ifiat any time the voltage ofthe output circuit increases. above the desiredvaluc the flux due to coil. 33 overpovmrs.the tension of the spring 39 with consequent partial withdrawal of the wedge member 31 from between the shoulder 26 and the adjacent end of the contact 10. The spring 29 thereupon acts to :t'orce said contact within the stud 20 and away from the vibratory con tact 9 thereby shortening the period of en gagement of said contacts with consequent shortening of the periods during which the field rheostat is short-circuited. The field of the generator is thus weakened and the output voltage thereof correspondingly reduced.

Conversely a drop in voltage of the generator below the desired value serves: to el'i'ect insertion of the wedge member further between the shoulder 26 and the c0ntact 10 with consequent forcing of said contact toward the .vibratory contact 9 and lengthening of the periods within which said contacts are in engagement. The ptriods during which the field rheostat is short-circuited are thus lengthened with consequent strengthening of the generator field and increase in value of its output voltage.

The regulator illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 while similar in principle to that atoredescribed has nevertheless been modified to adapt the same to regulation of an electrical condition of an A. C. circuit. Also in said latter construction the vibratory elements are mechanically actuated although obviously the same may be actuated electro-magnetically if desired.

In said construction a stud is fixed to a suitable insulating panel 46 and a resilient vibratory contactor 47 is medially pivotally mounted upon the free end of said stud, said contactor carrying at one end a contact 48 adapted to co-operate with a relatively stationary contact 49. The opposite end of said contactor is provided with a strike plate 50 to be engaged by a cam 51, the latter to be power driven at suitable speed by means such as the motor 52 illustrated. A spring 53 serves to bias said contactor toward its position wherein the co-operating contacts are separated.

The contact 49 is carried by a resilient element 54, the latter being terminally supported upon a projection 55 of the stud 45 and being moreover insulated from the latter and the parts connected therewith. The contactor 47 is provided at a. point adj acent the contact 48 with a rigidly secured stud 56 projecting toward and preferably through the resilient element 54 and being provided therebeyond with an adjustable and lockable nut 57 whereby during biased movement of the contactor 47 the same is adapted to draw the free end of the element 54 and its contact 49 therewith. The stud 56 is insulated from one or the other of the contactor 47 and. the element 54.. Also said member 54 carries at a point preterably substantially midway between the contact 49 and the point of support of said member 54 rigidly secured abutment block 58 whereas a stud 59 is mounted upon the panel 46 and adapted to project therefrom toward and in alignment with said block 58 but in a terminally spaced relation thereto.

The electro-responsive means for varying the duration of the portion of each vibration duri which the atoren'ient'ioncd contacts are in engagement with one another preferably comprise a device adapted to act upon the well known rotating disc meter principle and include an induction disc 60 together with. torque magnets and for actuating thelatter. A spring 63 or equivalent device is arranged to oppose and normally counter-balance the torque upon said disk due to "said magnets. A wedgeshaped element 64 is secured to the disk 60 adjacent the periphery thereof and in a relation to be moved by and with said disc between the adjacent end of the stud 59 and the abutment block 58 for introducing a greater or lesser thickness of said wedge element therebetween, dependent upon the extent and direction of movement of said disc.

The operation of this construction may be described as follows, assuming connection of the torque magnets in a manner to render the torque upon the disc 60 variable in accordance with the electrical condition to be regulated the contacts 48 and 49 being adapted to control the exclusion and inclusion of a field rheostat either in the ApC. generator or in the excitor therefor, and the motor 52 being operated for effecting vibration of the contactor 47 at the desired rate. Under the foregoing conditions at each revolution of the cam 51, the contact 48 is moved toward and into engagement with its cooperating contact 49, the period of such ongagement depending upon the relative posi tion of said latter contact as determined in turn by the position of the disc 60 and the wedge element 64. During movement of said contactor away from the element 54 the former is adapted by means of the aforedescribed stud 56 to draw said element and the abutment block 58 away from the disc 60 and wedge element 63 thus providing within the period of each vibration a definite interval during which said disc and wedge element are entirely unrestrained and hence free to adjust themselves angularly in re sponse to any variation in the electrical condition which it is desired to regulate.

It is also to be observed that in each 01: the aforedescribed constructions the frequency of vibration of the relay is rendered independent of the electrical condition including frequency of the controlled circuit.

lVhatI claim as: new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an electrical regulator, the combination with a relatively stationary contact member of a contact adapted to effect vibrator coaction therewith for re ulatin an J C t) electrical condition of a circuit, of an element to be electromagnetically actuated in response to variations in such electrical condition for positioning said first-mentioned contact relatively to saidvibratory contact to thereby vary the duration of engagement of said contacts during eachvibration of the latter, means for movingsaid contact mem her to release said element during a portion of the vibratory cycle and associated means whereby said; contact member is utilized for relieving said element of influence of the contact engaging action.

2. In an electrical regulator, the combination with a contact member,- a cooperating contact and vibratory operating means therefor, of an e]ectromagnetically operatedelementfor positioning said contact. member and associated means to be controlled by said operating means for moving said contact member out of and into engagement with said. element during that portion of the vibratoryv cycle wherein the contact i'nember and contact are out of engagen'ient with each other.

In an electricalregulator, the combination witha contact member, a cooperating contact and vibratory operating means therefor, 0'; an electron'iagnetically operated ele ment for positioning said contact member, means tending to maintain said contact member in engagement with said element, and associated means to be controlled by said operating means tormoving said contact member away liro-nrsaid element a-itter disengagcn'ient of said contacts and permittii'lg return of said contact element prior to re engagement of said contacts.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

ERlVIN R. STIOEKLE. 

